Author of ‘The World Is Fat’ will present to students and faculty at UB School of Public Health and Health Professions on Oct. 16

By Sara Saldi

Popkin developed The Nutrition Transition, which is characterized by rapid socioeconomic and technological changes leading to changes in dietary activity, and body composition patterns around the world.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo School of Public
Health and Health Professions has chosen Barry M. Popkin, PhD, the
W.R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at the
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), to present the
25th Annual J. Warren Perry Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 3
p.m. in Butler Auditorium, 150 Farber Hall on the South Campus.

The title of Popkin’s presentation is “National and
Global Obesity: Changing Dynamics and Challenges in How the World
Eats.” The lecture is free and open to the public.

Popkin, whose PhD is in economics, established the Division of
Nutrition Epidemiology at UNC-CH.

He also developed the concept of the Nutrition Transition, which
is characterized by rapid socioeconomic, demographic and
technological changes, often linked with increasing globalization.
These shifts have led to an ever-growing rate of change and shifts
or transitions of dietary activity and body composition patterns
around the world.

The Nutrition Transition Program of UNC-CH, housed at the
Carolina Population Center, is developing a series of longitudinal
surveys and studies coupled with ecological and other
cross-sectional research. Emphasis is placed on countries and large
populations undergoing shifts in nutritional patterns and the
associated health consequences that include increased
nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular
disease and obesity.

Popkin’s research is primarily funded by a large number of
National Institute of Health's (NIH) Research Project Grants
(better known as R01’s) involving long-term analysis of the
economic and physical environment in collaboration with the
Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study and
the UNC Food Research Program, a program that is evaluating the
impact of global food company changes in product formulation as it
impacts the diets of Americans..

His international research is equally large-scale. Popkin
directs longitudinal surveys in China and Russia and is also
involved in survey research in other countries, including Brazil,
Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, India, Norway and the
Philippines. He is actively involved at the national and global
level in policy formulation for many countries, particularly Mexico
and China.

Popkin has published over 390 refereed journal articles, is one
of the most cited nutrition scholars in the world and is the author
of a book entitled “The World is Fat”(January 2010,
Avery-Penguin Publishers), which has been translated into nine
languages.

The J. Warren Perry Award and Distinguished Lectureship is the
School of Public Health and Health Professions’ lecture
series honoring the late J. Warren Perry, PhD, founding dean of the
School of Health Related Professions.

Perry, a pioneer in the field of allied health, served as dean
from 1966 until his retirement in 1977. A prolific and accomplished
scholar, administrator, author and lecturer, he was a national
figure in his field and his work had an impact on health care
delivery systems throughout the country.

The Perry award and lectureship recognizes individuals who have
provided exemplary leadership in public health, health professions
or the health sciences. Initiated in 1989 by Dean Alan Stull, PhD,
the lectureship introduces students, faculty and staff to some of
the best leaders and scholars in a variety of fields.